


A stitch, or two, in time

by Augenblickgotter



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Aziraphale Is Trying (Good Omens), Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Clothes, Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley is Patient (Good Omens), Crowley is trying his best, Do It With Style Mini Bang (Good Omens), Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Grounding, M/M, No Smut, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, aspergers tendancies, aziraphale as an aspergers, mostly interacting and conversation, style
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25371814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Augenblickgotter/pseuds/Augenblickgotter
Summary: Crowley saunters in with yet another style shift, and ponders why Aziraphale is always dressed the same for so long.He decides to push his partner into trying on some new styles for a change, but bumps into an Angel's need to ground sometimes.Part of the Awesome MiniBang Do it With Style event!
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 39
Collections: Good Omens Mini Bang





	A stitch, or two, in time

**Author's Note:**

> Absolute fluffy fluff tinted with a touch of what it's like being an Asperger's and trying to deal with overwhelming feelings.  
> Mild peer pressure from Crowley. Sorry, no smut. Just fluff.
> 
> Thanks to [Scrapheapchallenge](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scrapheapchallenge) for the few word prompt. ;)
> 
> Amazing art by  
> [Amie-draws on tumblr](https://amie-draws.tumblr.com/)  
>  [AmieDraws on AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amiedraws/profile)
> 
> [Amie_draws on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/amie_draws/)

The growl of an engine pulling into the driveway, the crunch of gravel under tires, and the screech of brakes, and Aziraphale knew Crowley was back from his excursion.

Sudden unexplained excursion.

All the Demon had said as he rambled out the door earlier was that he had something to do and he'd be back and why didn't you just relax with a book until then?

That wasn't odd for Crowley to do with their new Cottage life.

Sure, he'd actually settled into the quiet domestic routine of a couple much smoother than Aziraphale initially guessed. But those flashes of spontaneity would always bubble up, and Crowley would be in the Bentley and gone in a flash. His return was never the same each time, but at least it was, for lack of a better word, always interesting.

The front door opened and closed and snappy footsteps approached.

"So, Whaddaya think, Angel?" his voice piped upon entering the living room.

Crowley was sauntering in at his usual clip, that wasn't unusual.

But what was unusual was;

"Oh, your hair!" Aziraphale noticed looking up from the sofa and removing his spectacles.

Crowley smirked as he got closer.

"Ya like? Eh?"

Aziraphale blinked with a small smile.

Crowley was now sporting a new hairstyle, parted more evenly, but with a drastic undercut on his left side. Close to buzzed, with some of the hair above it making a small crest. The right side was a graceful sweep;

"Well, it looks..."

Crowley grinned more diabolically, preening, either way, Aziraphale would reply; 

Disapproval meant he could get that fantastic rise of irritating his favourite Principality; just being in his presence would make him huff and sputter. Act all fubsy and cute.

Approval meant Aziraphale would lead to side-eyes gazing and smirking for days while he'd make endless remarks on how wonderful he made any fashion look, which Crowley knew for a fact anyway but loved to hear said.

"Stylish!"

Crowley craned his neck around like there was a kink in it to work out.

"Stylisssh?" he echoed.

"Well, you make anything stylish!" Aziraphale affirmed.

"If you say so," Crowley said, glancing at his watch.

"And... your clothes! You changed them too!"

Crowley started grinning enough to bob his sunglasses on his nose.

"Like them too? Eh?" 

Crowley's outfit still was form-fitting and mostly black. But the cut was changed. His close undershirt was more crew neck and not tucked in his belt. His over jacket was a larger blazer cut, just a little longer than his recent short jackets. Traded for his tall boots were a slimmer ankle height shoe.

"Stylish as well," Aziraphale affirmed assuringly. "Is something happening?"

Crowley removed his glasses.

"Like what?"

"Well, you just changed your style, I was wondering if there were any reason or..."

"Does a person need a _reason_ to change his style?!" Crowley derided teasingly. "Most people say life is too short not to try something once. In my case, time may not be such a predicament as most people. Yet," Crowley raked a hand over his shortened scalp and grinned at the sensation, "Never hurts to try something once anyhow, right?"

"I suppose not," Aziraphale admitted softly. 

Crowley was clacking the arms of his sunglasses together, high in his newly garbed bliss, staring back at Aziraphale. 

"Say, Angel," he ventured, starting to move closer to pull Aziraphale out of his book before he dove back in.

"Hmmm?" Aziraphale looked up again, the same expression as if Crowley was waiting to ask for approval about another aspect of his new outfit.

"Speaking of trying things... when was uh," He leaned on the sofa arm, "Last time you tried change?"

Aziraphale's brows furrowed a little, and Crowley groaned internally.

" _Great, he's going to act all puffy and ..."_

"Of course I do, but I'd like you to maybe try things you didn't know you might perhaps enjoy." 

"Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt..." 

"Whatever do you mean?"

_"Right on cue, you are going to be a stick in the mud."_

Crowley started resting sideways on the sofa arm, inhaling theatrically.

"I meeeean, like, when was the last time you changed your clothes?"

"This morning!" Aziraphale insisted. "See? I wasn't wearing this sweater when you left...."

Crowley was holding his sunglasses in hand closest to Aziraphale. He tapped them against the arm at a slow beat and leaned in closer.

"Not the sweater. Alright, let me try again. Your SSSTYLE."

He lingered on the 's' sound a little too long and cocked his head.

"I mean, if you go to the Book Shop or we go ANYWHERE, it's always your tailcoat. "

"Is there anything wrong with that?" Aziraphale looked peeved as he closed his book.

"Absolutely not, but... you've been that way for over a hundred years!"

Crowley straddled the sofa arm to hold up his hands.

"You used to change all the time! I mean, you used to be as stylish!"

"Am I not anymore, then?"

" _Ohh, careful, don't want push this the wrong way_.... No! I don't mean that!"

Aziraphale still weighed his momentary leverage and turned sideways a bit.

_"Ahh, now he's going to pout... tempt harder, tempt harder..._ "

Crowley lowered his hands and crossed his arms.

"Well, maybe I should ask, wouldn't you LIKE to try something different again? You hopped around with your fashion before, why not again for a little change?"

"Well," Aziraphale firmly replied, "Perhaps I bounced around in my tastes long enough and found my own comfortable personal self-expression and finally would like to stay there instead of appearing wishy-washy. Maybe I'm content after years of searching, and that's all that matters, isn't it?"

Aziraphale was coldly smug, and Crowley knew it.

" _Akkkgg, you can be so obstinate. Turn it around then.._."

"Oh, I see," Crowley conceded quietly, turning his face a little.

"So, I'm wishy-washy and just don't know myself, hmm?"

"I... didn't say that."

"I'm not comfortable with myself, then?"

Aziraphale paused one beat too long, and Crowley jerked his eyes to their corners to catch Aziraphale was also giving a timidly askance look.

_"Hey!"_

"I wasn't..."

"No, No, I get it."

Crowley folded his hands on his lap and rocked a little, looking skyward.

"I'm just a finicky little thing, bouncing from fad to fad, hoping to find closeness..." 

"Crowley, please," Aziraphale quieted, "I didn't MEAN it that way."

"I understand, my vanity makes me undeniably shallow and..."

"Crowley, stop it, please."

Crowley continued to mock pout, looking away.

"And I got all nice looking, and you have to spoil everything."

Aziraphale pulled his mouth to the side and shifted on the cushions.

"Crowley, there's nothing wrong with changing as often as you like. But, perhaps I don't feel a need to change. I'm pleased where I am. You wouldn't want to force me to do something I didn't want to, would you?" 

Crowley still wasn't making face contact but acted thoughtfully.

" I can't say it would be the first time I did something like that."

"Well, that is true."

"But for whomever's sake, Angel! We, HOPEFULLY, have eternity, and it's still too short a time not to try things! Think about it! Maybe you just should try a little change for once! "

He turned to face Aziraphale and could see the minuscule flash of interest across his eyes.

_"That's it... "_

"Well, don't you like how I dress already?"

  
  


"Of course, it couldn't!" Crowley gripped the armrest and almost bounced.

Aziraphale looked him up and down and glared a touch.

"Crowley, please get off the arm of our sofa."

"Why?" Crowley mocked, straddling it harder. "Beats riding a horse. I should know."

He moved his body like the sofa arm was at full gallop, even bringing his hands up to hold imaginary reins.

"It's obscene!" Aziraphale cried, pulling away. 

"What is? The sofa?" Crowley jeered, starting to ride harder. "Downright raunchy for furniture, I agree." 

"Crowley! Please!"

"More, please? Fine! Faster, boy!"

"Crowley!" 

Aziraphale was doing his best to be offended, but Crowley could hear him stifling his amusement.

_"Ha! Perfect! He's amused, now to pull him in!"_

Crowley swung a leg up and slid off the arm onto the sofa in the narrow spot between the armrest and Aziraphale with a swift movement. He simpered like a cat expecting a pet, staring at the side of his companion's face. 

Aziraphale, arms still crossed, sighed like a parent arguing with a petulant child.

"Sssso?" Crowley garbled, "Ready to go out? Hmmm? Window shop? Be my fellow fashionista? Go to a tailor? Pleasssse?"

Aziraphale breathed. 

" I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go look. I might enjoy a little time out right now..."

"Great!" Crowley exclaimed, slapping his knees. "Get dressed! I'll get the car ready!" As he was starting to heave himself off the cushions, a disembodied crackling noise was heard, and he froze with a grimace.

Aziraphale clutched his book utterly bewildered.

"What? What was that?! Are you alright, Crowley? Did you just... have a bone break?!"

Aziraphale was petrified and reached over to catch Crowley if he fell.

"Noooo, " Crowley winced, slamming his head backward onto the sofa back in defeat. "I just sat on my pair of new glasses and broke them is all..."

\-----------------------------------------------

"Hmmm, how about that one?"

Aziraphale continued strolling past the shop windows, turning his attention where ever Crowley directed it. He stimmed his fingers together and gave a thoughtful hum, not slowing.

"Hmmm, too.... modern."

"EVERYTHING will be _modern_ , Angel. "

"Well, that is... MORE... modern!"

Crowley rolled his eyes again, still sauntering beside Aziraphale, hands hooked in his pockets.

"Aww, you might have to let your guard down a little and just feel out for something different for once."

"Hmmm, last time I let my guard down," Aziraphale announced righteously, "I think I was at the Eastern Gate, and I was supposed to be guarding a tree."

Crowley cackled once.

_"Damn, he can be a real prick sometimes._ See? If you hadn't let your guard down, then we wouldn't be out window shopping together, among many other fantastic adventures. Right?"

"I think you're too ostentatious there, dear."

"Ha! Hardly! Hey! Check out that style! Didn't you ever think of trying a darker colour for a change?"

Aziraphale stared at another outfit of a nearly black shade.

"Hmmm, it's more of your thing... isn't it?"

"Yeah, but, thas' mah point. Maybe you should try someone else on for once? Eh?"

"We've done that as well in a very literal sense," Aziraphale answered, starting to sound fretful. "And besides, dark clashes with me. All over. I just never look right in dark. Colours, I mean."

Crowley was smirking at his companion, getting so needy sounding and wanted to remark he looked great in the dark but figured he'd better behave.

"Well, like I was saying before," Crowley keened between his teeth as he started to wrap an arm around Azirphal's shoulder, "Doesssn't hurt to trrrrrry thingsssss."

Aziraphale glimpsed sideways up at Crowley as he kept pulling him along in literal tandem, still stimming his fingers together. 

"Uhhh, Crowley, where are we going?"

"Well, it's funny, Aziraphale," Crowley commenced explaining, "But since I thought you might be this way...."

He spun Aziraphale's course suddenly to the front of another shop and stopped.

Aziraphale gaped at the wording above the door. 

"A tailor?" 

Crowley grabbed the other shoulder with his other hand, not relinquishing his hold.

"I actually booked an appointment, so you could get something you would like!"

"Crowley, but..."

"Aww, please, Angel. Think of it, mmm, like a present from me, please?"

Aziraphale turned to look at the Demon with a shocked face. 

Crowley was still holding him but groaned at the sight of the startled expression. 

"Fiiiine, if you don't want to, I won't force you. I just..."

"No, wait, please," Aziraphale interrupted. "I... you did it for me?"

"Well, yah. Sure. I thought you might enjoy it more than you appear to be..." Crowley lowered his hands and started to hunch his shoulders.

"Crowley?" Aziraphale got a bashful look on his face. "I'd, well, I'll be more than willing to try something different then. If it meant that much for you to trouble yourself for. "

Crowley smirked and held out a hand. 

"You're always trouble, but always worth the trouble. Follow me."

_________________________________

Of course, Aziraphale took to being fussed over by a tailor like a natural. It had been years since he had gone to a tailor proper. It had been something both had indulged in the past but fell out of fashion with, well, literally the fashion of the era.

  
  


_"It's really something he's good at.,_ " mused Crowley, where he sat in a chair, pretending to read a magazine. " _He even knows so much about clothes and fashion from all the books he read. He's keeping pace with the tailor on everything, even if some of his terms are arcane._ _Hmm, he might have been a perfect tailor, come to think of it, fussing over other people. Trying to make them insanely happy. Maybe I shouldn't put ideas in his head."_

Aziraphale was clearly more in his league than Crowley had even guessed and was getting wrapped up on designs he was picking through. And then when it came to fabric choices, Crowley almost regretted making him do this.

_"Gods, he's spent the last half hour rhapsodizing over different weaves and kinds of cotton. I may be stylish, but I have limits."_

Then, when he called Crowley over to ask his opinion on colours, Crowley knew he couldn't even act a tiny bit peeved, or ruin the whole outing. He sauntered over to Aziraphale, whose chin was on his hands, flipping through large pages of fabric swatches. 

"The selection is... hmmm," Aziraphale, "Hard to pick from. The tartan selection is woefully lacking...."

"Well, mebbe it's time to move away from tartan and..."

Aziraphale looked up at him like a baby who's pacifier just got yanked.

"For a little bit!" Crowley soothed. "Not totally gone, just, yanno, give it a rest!"

Aziraphale resumed his searching, mumbled over the pages.

"Well, I'm having enough trouble convincing them it's for my everyday wear. They think it's for a wedding or something."

Crowley cackled and pointed at a swatch.

"What about that one? The colour would look smashing on you."

Aziraphale looked confused as he scrutinized it.

"It's... kind of drab. How about this one?"

"That's for women's gowns, I think."

"I like the colour though!"

"Uh, angel, Fuschia just... wouldn't match your... complexion."

"How about this?" Aziraphale tried, pointing at a lighter shade.

"Uhh, Angel," Crowley said, putting his hand over the page, "Let's get a little more down to earth, shall we?"

Aziraphale folded a page and lit up. 

"Oh! They have polka dots here!"

" _Oh christ, no_. Uh, hey! Look at these! I like the nice swishy swashy weave on whatever this is called."

Aziraphale was looking past it and flipped to another page.

"How about this one?" There was a bubbling eagerness to his voice.

A French Grey.

"Mmm, not bad, certainly would fit you."

Aziraphale looked like a puppy that was told what a good boy he was.

"Oooh, I like it too! Let's pick that one then!"

Crowley grinned back. 

"Yes, let's then! Phew! Please don't change your mind...."

Aziraphale was mildly upset that he'd have to wait a week for the suit to be finished.

Crowley snickered internally.

_"Ha! didn't even want to leave the house this morning, now he's a kid waiting for his birthday to arrive!"_

Leaving the shop on that note, Crowley watched Aziraphale fidgeting his hands together and internally rolling around the idea of his new clothes.

_"Aww, he's glowing."_

He started regretting that the Angel wouldn't have anything new to wear for the week mainly since they lived in the same house.

_____________________

A WEEK LATER

Crowley was waiting again as Aziraphale was in the dressing booth.

_"Sheesh, can't he just miracle the clothes on? Or does he have to count every stitch? He's been in there long enough."_

Eventually, the curtain pulled back, and Aziraphale strode out, looking bashful. 

"How does it look?"

Crowley got out of his seat with a grin, trying to refrain from laughing. Aziraphale was still out of sync with the era. Sure, he had advanced from his last era, but was still 100 years behind the times. 

The lapels on his suit were slightly smaller. The vest shortened a little with a few more buttons added to the row. He had a straight tie instead of a bowtie—Tartan pattern on the tie, but at least a change.

_"It's progress, at least,"_ Crowley giggled internally.

"You... look... smashing!" 

Aziraphale blushed and was looking at the floor.

"Aww, c'mon, " Crowley teased, holding out a hand. "Let's take this pretty little bookshop owner out for a little showing off!"

Aziraphale pulled a flat straw hat with a white and red band from behind his back and plopped it on his head.

"I think it fits the suit, don't you?"

_"You are so precious it's taking everything I have from discorperating from laughter,"_ Crowley mused to himself.

_____________________

Aziraphale was beaming so much Crowley felt slightly embarrassed strolling beside him but reminded himself it was his idea after all. 

_"Ahh, just look at him. I don't think he even knows why he's so happy. He's got buckets of smiles for everyone and anyone."_

People did smile back at Aziraphale, who gleefully tipped his hat and wished them a lovely day. 

"See, Angel?" Crowley announced as they neared the duck pond, "Now you remember the whole sensation of a new suit of clothes?"

"I admit, it HAS been so long," Aziraphale gushed as he tipped his hat at another victim, "I had forgotten what fun it could be!"

"Speaking of fun," Crowley said, "There's a wine tasting tonight I want to go to. Yanno. To taste the wine. What do you say?"

Aziraphale was bubbling so much already Crowley could have asked him to go bungee jumping, and he'd agree with enthusiasm. 

"Of course! It sounds marvelous!"

________________________________

Crowley fished the car keys off the hook near the door and glanced at his watch.

"Angel," he shouted, loping back towards the bedroom.

"C'mon, get a hustle in your wings. If you don't want me driving like a maniac through traffic. You all nice and pretty to spill wine on your new suit?"

"One moment!" came Aziraphale's hurried voice.

Crowley groaned as he pushed open the unlocked door, swirling the keys on a finger.

"Or are you taking a bib to prevent dribbles? Eh? I mean I could miracle them out but... what the! Angel?!"

He opened the door to Aziraphale, adjusting his old bowtie on his old suit he was wearing.

"Right! Now I'm ready!"

"Hey!" Crowley scolded. "Not like that!"

"Like what?" Aziraphale froze and looked worried. "Does my hair look bad or something?"

"That always looks bad but..."

"I beg your pardon!"

"Just a joke, Aziraphaaaale," Crowley hissed. "I mean why are you wearing that?"

"What?" He looked down at himself.

"Oh, thank you, dear, I didn't notice."

Aziraphale adjusted the buttons on his vest he had incorrectly fastened. 

"There! Right as rain! Now I'm ready!" He pulled at his bowtie and stepped forward.

Crowley groaned. "Whadda bout that nice pretty new suit you got today?"

Aziraphale gaped. "Oh no! I wouldn't want to get it dirty! Besides, I wore it!"

"You... wore it?"

"Yes! So, now it's time to take it off and wear it later!"

Crowley lowered his glasses and leaned closer.

"Well, that's a straightforward and convoluted way of thinking. Why not... mmmm. wear it some more? I'd miracle away the tiniest dust mote on it if you were afraid of that."

Aziraphale was starting to look troubled.

"But, I... did and now I want to wear this on our excursion. Please?"

"I don't understand what or why..."

"Because we're going somewhere new," Aziraphale elaborated.

_"Going...somewhere...new? What is he getting at?"_

"Are you scared?" Crowley chortled with skepticism.

Aziraphale blinked and started fussing with his ring.

"No, of course not. I just want to be _me_ there."

Crowley shook it off in his head.

" _Wow, this is odd. Let it slide."_

"Aww, well, that's fine then. Whatever makes you less scared of new places..."

"I'm not scared!" pouted Aziraphale.

Crowley put an arm on his shoulder and started pulling him towards the front door.

"Of course you aren't! You just don't want to spill on your nice new clothes. So you can slobber all over your old ones."

"I will not!" Aziraphale firmed replied. "I just want to be comfortable. I do like my new clothes, really!"

"Glad to know," Crowley soothed, pushing him out the front door into the evening, fading to twilight.

"I might even want to try another style I was looking at."

"Ahhh, that's just wonderful! Do try!" Crowley pushed him to the passenger side of the Bentley and opened the door.

"I even ordered them," Aziraphale confessed as he seated. "They should be here next week!"

"Ahhh, sneaky!" Crowley raved as he hurried to the drivers side and slid in. 

"Oh, I don't mean to be sneaky, that's more of your thing."

The engine turned over as Aziraphale snapped on the headlights (Crowley didn't need them and would forget them most of the time, Aziraphale was striving hard for making all the human adjustments he could.)

Crowley grinned. "Aww, Angel, seriously, my sneakiest days are behind me. Nothing but honest bad work from me."

" 'Good' work, dear, 'Good' work," Aziraphale corrected resolutely.

"Better than you know," Crowley hissed under his breath. "Even if it is a little odd."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Uh, seatbelts, Angel," Crowley said as he slammed the gas.

"Right!" Aziraphale agreed, snapping his fingers.

___________________________________

**TWO DAYS LATER.**

"What do you think of this one?" 

Aziraphale strolled in the kitchen.

Crowley had been staring at his phone, scrolling through messages.

He casually glanced up, not sure what to expect.

Aziraphale stood in the doorway, dressed in a new suit.

Crowley immediately grinned at the novelty but strained to prevent his features from twisting more.

"Uhh, it's... dramatic."

Aziraphale looked bothered. 

"Angel, is that a uh... " Crowley dug around for the word.

"Zoot suit? Or are you going to a costume ball?"

Aziraphale now was decked in the flamboyant gangster style; oversized pants and long hanging wide tailcoats in a familiar camel-yellow color. Garnished with the oversized watch chain, spats on his shoes, and the jaunty hat with a long black feather. (Crowley was mortified to think that was probably his own feather.) 

Aziraphale wilted a little and shuffled.

"Oh, but I rather liked it. It looks fun."

"Fun?" Crowley wailed as he stood up to get closer before mentally pausing himself. "Well, it is fun, perhaps. It's not bad looking on you. I was just a little unprepared, that's all."

Aziraphale righted and grasped at his lapels a little.

"Does it make me look spazzy?" He asked excitedly.

Crowley took a moment to roll that around in his head.

"I think you mean 'snazzy' he gritted between his teeth as he worried Aziraphale's collar.

"Ah! Right! Snezzy! Do I look snezzy?"

"Oh, very snezzy, I'd say."

Aziraphale's face pinched with excitement, but he noticed Crowley's frown. "What? What is wrong?"

Crowley had a growing sense of jealousy suddenly.

"WHY didn't I ever try a Zoot suit?! "

"Aww, sorry."

"Really! I would look great in one!" 

"Well, go get one!" Aziraphale encouraged. 

"No! You have one!"

"That does not stop you! Besides, it would looks even better on you!" Aziraphale popped the hat off his head onto Crowley's.

Crowley glanced over at the hallway mirror and flashed a grin at himself.

"Damn straight it would... but NOT in the colour!" He plopped the hat back on its owners head.

"Well, then... get it in your colour! Dark, I'd expect. But maybe with pinstripes?"

Crowley was mentally superimposing just that kind of suite on his reflection down the hall and smirked.

 _"Oh hell yeah, you handsome devil_ ," he thought.

Then he shook his head.

"No, we are NOT dressing the same, period."

"Aww, that would be fun!"

"No, it would not. We'd look ridiculous."

"We could say we were twins!" Aziraphale gushed.

Crowley cocked his head and gazed back.

"Twinssss?" he questioned. "We look nothing alike."

"That's identical twins!" Aziraphale helpfully informed. "Fraternal twins can look as different as night and day!"

Crowley shook his head.

"No, they don't. Twins always look the same."

"No, they don't!" Aziraphale insisted. 

"They DO!" Crowley corrected. "That's why they are twins. I've seen enough to know what I am talking about. They always look alike, no matter what they say. The identical ones don't look enough alike, though. Very weird. I've even met people who said they weren't twins, and I know they were twins."

"Crowley, just because people look alike doesn't make them..."

"Back to the Zoot suit. Wow, just... bang up lovely on you! I can't believe you picked it!" 

Aziraphale struck his coolest pose, which made Crowley twitch, but he strove to remain positive. He mimed his hands as guns and clicked them at Aziraphale.

"Lookin' sharp, there, hoodlum'!" he gushed in his worst Mid-American accent. "Do you wanna go out with me this afternoon to the park? In an hour?"

Aziraphale tried to mime his hands as guns, which had Crowley screaming internally.

"Bang! You betcha, pardner!"

Crowley reached out, gently grabbed his hands, and folded them up.

"Uh, yeah, I think you misfired there! So, uh, I'm going to water the greenhouse and then in about an hour, let's go!"

"Sure thang, pardner!" Aziraphale drawled horribly, looking overjoyed.

"See you there without the accent. Please."

___________________________

An hour later, Crowley stood by the Bentley as the front door opened.

"So, mobster, ready for...hey! Where's your new outfit?"

Aziraphale closed the door and locked it behind himself with a finger snap. He was back in his regular ensemble.

"Oh, I didn't want to get it dirty in the park! "

"Seriously?!" 

Crowley had his arms over the top of the car as the Angel approached. 

"You just got it! You looked great in it! I loved it!"

"And I don't want to wear it to the silly old park! This will do just fine!"

Crowley crossed his arms and pouted. Aziraphale stopped short of the car door and crossed his arms, pouting back.

"Oh, come off it, Crowley! I don't want to be overdressed for going to feed the ducks! That's for special occasions!"

"You mean feeding the ducks isn't?!" Crowley sulked before realizing how laughable he sounded.

Aziraphale's face reflected the absurdity. 

"They are just... ducks."

"They aren't just ducks!" Crowley retorted, uncrossing his arms and placing his hands on the car hood. "They deserve a show with their dinner!"

"Crowley, are you worried about how I dress for ducks now?" 

"Well, if you aren't concerned about how you look around our ducks, I'll take matters into my own hands!"

He snapped his fingers and was suddenly donning a black and grey pinstriped Zoot suit.

Aziraphale was surprised but approved.

"It does look even better on you! You cut quite a dashing figure!"

"We'll see what the ducks say!" Crowley barked as he flung himself into the driver's seat.

___________________________________________

A WEEK LATER

Crowley lovingly finished polishing over the last part of his new motorbike. It was vintage from around the same time as the Bentley. He had spent the previous few days repairing and checking over every millimeter to ensure it worked like the day it was first made. But it was extra special because it had a sidecar, and today for its maiden voyage, he wanted to roll over to the Tadfield countryside.

Aziraphale was so excited he confessed he had another outfit he was going to wear for the occasion.

"Heh, I've created a monster," Crowley mused as he waited for his passenger. "We'll have a house full of outdated clothing he only wears once before slipping back into his old suit."

Crowley didn't want to be outdone and donned a black bomber jacket (with a large red serpent on the back), black leather pants, and tall boots he wore over then. Aziraphale insisted he wear a helmet, even though he didn't need it. Crowley found a delightfully vintage style helmet that likely matched the bike in the era it came from.

"Ready!" Aziraphale's voice approached. Crowley prepared himself as he turned around and started to cackle.

"Heh he! So, do you...he! Have newspapers to toss out of the sidecar as we drive along?"

Aziraphale was strolling across the lawn and paused.

"Oh, do I look funny?" he lamented.

He wore plaid knee-length breeches held up by suspenders. The rest of his legs bore socks up to the knees and short lace up shoes.

His shirt was white, and he had rolled up the sleeve. Over his shoulder, his plaid over jacket was slung. Topping it was a pageboy cap.

Crowley waved his hand to brush any worries aside.

"No! You look perfect! Seriously, Angel, I need to find a new activity and you need to dress for it each time! Though you look like you should be throwing newspapers out at each house we'll drive by."

Aziraphale glowed as he slipped on the jacket.

"Well, of all the places, I found this style in a book I was reading, and it fit perfectly for riding!"

Crowley flipped on a pair of rather large dark tinted aviator style glasses.

"Oh, really? What book would that be?"

Aziraphale seated in the sidecar, snapping on a pair of riding goggles.

" _Wind in the Willows"_.

Crowley took a moment to dig that up from his memory as he slung a leg over the saddle.

_"That... doesn't sound like a fashion book. Satan... was that...."_

He turned over to his eager passenger, beaming from his seat.

"Angel, are you talking about that talking animal book for kids?"

"Yes!" Aziraphale confirmed. "I think I look like Mr Toad now!"

Crowley nasally wailed from his seat. 

"Oh God, please, don't start that!"

"Toot toot!" Aziraphale chimed, pretending to steer.

"Stop it! I swear I won't even start this thing!" Crowley threatened.

"Well, then we can sit here and _pretend_ we are driving," Aziraphale said with no offense.

Crowley frantically turned the key as the engine roared to life.

"Are you sure you don't want to be my Otter, Crowley?" Aziraphale cried above the noise.

"Positive. And by the way, your outfit, it looks very clever on you!"

"Thank you! I AM a clever toad!"

"I couldn't agree more!" Crowley shouted as he revved the engine.

"Ready, Angel? "

"Ready! " Aziraphale yelled back, excitedly.

"Hey!" Crowley suddenly realized. "I could be one of those weasels!”

“What did you just say?” Aziraphale shouted over the revving.

“WEASELS. There was like a pack of 'em, wasn't there?"

"They were the villains of the book!" Aziraphale affirmed.

Crowley leered as the machine moved forward.

"See what you call me after driving this around, Angel!"

__________________________

The afternoon ride was perfect. They were sailing over hills and dips, stirring up clouds of leaves, gliding over rural paths.

They even passed Ananthema on her bike, which sent Aziraphale shouting a greeting and waving while Crowley gunned the motor as loud as he could. They paused by a local greenhouse, and Crowley found a new plant he purchased. That was an additional rider on the ride back, which didn't bother Aziraphale. Crowley stepped off and opened the sidecar door as soon as they pulled back in their driveway.

"Hop on out ," he teased.

"Hopping! " Aziraphale obeyed with a small bounce. "Do you want me to 'hop' up to the house?"

"Uh, no," Crowley grimaced. "I want you to walk in your regular fashion and get the dust off your face. I'll take your co-pilot (he nodded towards the plant) in behind you. Then let's plan something for the rest of the day, huh?"

Aziraphale was already jogging off with enthusiasm, which left Crowley shaking his head.

_"Like a kid. Seems to have found something that clicked this time, perhaps."_

  
  


**A FEW MINUTES LATER**

"Hey, Angel!" Crowley shouted, bustling in the doorway with the houseplant, "I was thinking of moving the plants from the greenhouse out to the garden tomorrow anyway. But this one can stay in the house tonight. What do you think?"

He heard nothing.

"This is only temporary," he warned the plant as he set it on the hallway table. "Don't think you are getting special treatment all the time." 

He hung his helmet on the hat rack along with the heavy jacket. He noticed the pageboy cap and plaid jacket hanging already.

"Angel?" he queried, pattering through the living room. Nothing.

He slinked to their bedroom and pushed open the door to see Aziraphale, sitting on the end of the bed. 

Naturally, he was back in his regular outfit.

_"This must be a new sport for him; how long can I enjoy this new outfit and how fast can I get out of it before Crowley finds me? Sheessh."_

Crowley then noticed his eyes were closed, and his breathing was rather slow. He was undoubtedly somewhere else in his mind, and Crowley started feeling guilty.

"Aw _, is he afraid of upsetting me over this and has to time out? He's not really enjoying it?"_

"Aziraphale?" 

His eyes opened as he faced Crowley. 

"Hello dear."

"Are you... feeling okay? Ride make you sick or something?"

"Oh no, of course not," was the simple vague answer.

"Uhh, well, it's a new record how fast you changed back. Is everything..."

Aziraphale cocked his head a wee bit and looked prepared. 

"Tickety-boo?"

Aziraphale blinked and looked content. 

"Of course, dear. I'm just grounding."

"Grounding? Like lightning or something?"

"Actually, very much so."

Crowley still worried.

"Did... I do something that makes you... need to 'ground'?"

"Please come over here," Aziraphale beckoned.

Crowley swallowed. "Oh, just tell me and I won't do it again if I am making you feel uncomfortable or something..."

"I'd feel better if you came over and listened instead of fretting, please?"

Crowley buckled and came closer to loom a little over Aziraphale.

"Yes?" he asked heavily as he shifted on his boots.

Aziraphale gave the slowest deliberate blink and rolled his neck a little.

"Crowley, everything I do, every little adventure is always like jumping off a precipice. It can take time to find the courage to make the leap."

Crowley felt stabbed the tiniest amount..

"Well, I certainly didn't mean to make you feel that way..."

"And THEN, I get a thrill," Aziraphale continued "That comes with that jump. Doing it, I can't believe it's happening, and it's so much fun. And then I can open my wings, and I'm fine."

"Uh, great, great then. I wasn't going to make you wear a parachute or anythin'."

"But," Aziraphale lamented, looking askance, "When I land, and the feeling wears off, it's... overwhelming."

Crowley wanted to blurt how could simply trying on new clothes be that way, but suspected a little support was warranted for the honesty being handed to him. 

"Well, get back up on that cliff and take another jump!" Crowley cheered. 

Aziraphale slowly looked up as his expression became almost sorrowful.

"I can't, and I don't. I need time. Time to process and feel what happened. By myself or with you."

Crowley scoffed. 

“Well, yah, that's not weird. Nothing off about that. But, may I ask, do new clothes make you feel like you've jumped off a metaphorical cliff?"

"To a degree, yes."

Crowley wondered if Aziraphale was just affecting this to avoid something else, perhaps. 

"Angel, please explain; why? You seem too wordly and enjoying so much of everything around you to be stuck on one style. It just..." he slowly squatted down beside Aziraphale. "Is it really you?"

Aziraphale had a perfectly gentle expression on his face.

"Of course, I do. I loved always finding new things. That's why I'd rather be here on Earth with you. I've indulged in so many new things, and can look back on many experiences. But you know what I found?"

"What?" 

"That I like having something I can come back to and be comfortable with."

"Like... your bookshop?" Crowley offered.

"Well, yes, that is true. But I mean like a suit of clothes."

"But," Crowley whined.

"But," Aziraphale continued, "Some people call it a security blanket. It grounds me to myself. It's familiarity."

"Familiarity is BORING," Crowley scoffed. "Change can be exciting."

"Of course change is exciting and fun," Aziraphale agreed, reaching out a hand to Crowley's shoulder. "But all these years, why did you always come back to ME?"

Crowley pretended to act indifferent. 

"Well, because you were the only other otherworldly being I cared to be around for a start."

"Familiarity?" Aziraphale crooned.

"Well, of course, you were familiar, and that made things much easier. But you were a decent person to be around and..."

"And you feel comfortable?"

"Seesh, Angel! Naturally!" Crowley scoffed. "I didn't care to hang with other humans or demons if that's what you mean!"

“And you don’t mind having something reassuring to come back to if you had to?”

"But, that doesn't mean I wanted to throw you on every time we met like a worn-out jacket! _Well, alright, I need to keep this on the level but I won’t say aloud that maybe I have…_."

Aziraphale chuckled. "Change is also overwhelming, overstimulating, even exhausting."

Crowley scoffed. 

"Yeah, but that's all part of the change. You can't be stuck in the same groove all the time."

"I agree," Aziraphale said softly. "But in a world that asks so much change from us all the time, sometimes we need familiars more than others."

"A silly suit?"

"Yes. A silly suit. It's like a hand on my shoulder telling me it's alright, it's me. I'm fine and not to worry. "

Crowley glanced over at the hand on his shoulder and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, well, I still think if you wanted to be that way, you'd still be taking orders from a higher authority, and I'd be pulling at your coat-tails to think for yourself."

Aziraphale gave his head a shake.

"You have a point and a good one” Aziraphale sighed as a flicker of longing went behind his eyes. 

“See? It isn’t by force, but sometimes when people say to get your needle out of a groove, it’s time to. Right?”

Aziraphale still looked introspective and Crowley began to worry he was pulling up some old feelings or memories that might be overwhelming. _“But maybe it’s the analogy he needs and can understand emotionally.”_

FInally Aziraphale blinked and softly answered.

“What you are saying isn’t wrong. Crowley, this is still something we'll be different about."

Crowley frowned and clasped the hand on his shoulder before leaning his face against it.

"Among many other things, but as long as you are happy."

"I am happy," Aziraphale confirmed. "I'm happy my husband worries that perhaps I'm not happy with myself and goes out of his way to make me happy. I'm happy I have a wardrobe of clothes we both like and more I want to try. And I am happy I can come home and get into my favourite suit and just be who I am." 

Crowley tossed out one more forlorn look.

“Just, don’t be afraid to try something different. I’ll hold your hand when you jump.”

“You always do.”

Aziraphale's face was tender as the Demon couldn't help himself from feeling content. 

Crowley kissed the back of Aziraphale's hand and smirked, leaning in closer.

"And Angel?”

“Hmm?”

“I like you out of your clothes, too, yanno."

[ ](http://imgbox.com/GYDxOmpY)

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Simple fluff, nothing new under the sun.
> 
> I've always felt Azirapahle fits on the autism spectrum. Though not the same for all, even trying new things can be an emotional jolt that need time to wind down from. 
> 
> Again, part of the Mini Bang Do it With Style event and the fantastic art is by 
> 
> Check out their stuff, please!
> 
> [Amie-draws on tumblr](https://amie-draws.tumblr.com/)  
>  [AmieDraws on AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amiedraws/profile)
> 
> [Amie_draws on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/amie_draws/)


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